When I came out as gay in my sophomore year of college, I absolutely loved going to Tigerheat – a kitschy 18-and-over gay club in Los Angeles. I mostly remember my nights there as frivolous fun, but they also had deeper meaning. That’s where I first learned how to openly and unabashedly celebrate being gay.

This week's roundup covers names of diseases, generosity, and what college does people, among other topics. Recently in the news, written a post, or have selections you'd like us to consider? Email us, use the hashtag #SPSPblog, or tweet us directly @spspnews.

In this week's roundup we catch up from the Thanksgiving weekend, with posts on giving, happiness, and persuasion. Recently in the news, written a post, or have selections you'd like us to consider? Email us, use the hashtag #SPSPblog, or tweet us directly @spspnews.

San Antonio, Texas - Over 128 million daily commuters in the U.S. and 75% report they drive alone. From improving traffic flow to air quality, convincing people to choose a possibly “greener” mode of transportation presents many challenges. Psychology researcher Gregory Thomas (Cardiff University) shows that if people are going to change their commuting habit, it needs to happen within the first three months of a move. He will present his research at the 18th Annual Convention of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

San Diego -- Republicans and Democrats are less divided in their attitudes than popularly believed, according to new research. It is exactly those perceptions of polarization, however, that help drive political engagement, researchers say.